Bathtub



Patented Nov. 10, 1942 BATHTUB Albert E. Thompson, Long Beach, Calif., assignor of seven per cent to Zula Mae Crain Dunham Application July 3.1, 1941,.Serial No. 404,922

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of bathtub, and more particularly to a bathtub particularly intended and adapted for use for taking foot baths while in a seated position, and which is especially advantageous for use by elderly persons, expectant mothers and convalescents.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a novel construction of tub having a bottom provided with raised end portions forming seats which are adapted to be used for supporting the bather at different elevations relatively to the bottom of the tub and in a sitting position, and which are also Well adapted for use in conjunction with one another for the bathing n of infants and small children, in which case the infant or child can be placed -upon one of said seat portions and the mother can sit upon the other seat portion while conveniently and safely bathing the child or infant. I Still a further aim of the invention isto provideV a bathtub adapted yto conserve upon the amount of water used in the taking kof a. bath.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide selectively operated heating means for heating said Vseat portions, and which heating means will also function to maintain the temperature of the water in the tub while taking a warm or hot bath.

Still a further aim 0f the invention is to provide a tub adapted to be used in conjunction with a conventional shower unit, and by means of which a shower may be taken while in a seated position.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a recess in a portion of the upper part 0f the outer side of the tub and which is so arranged relatively to one of the raised ends of the tub bottom that the user can readily get into or out of the tub without danger of slipping and without having to stand in the tub.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved bathtub,

Figure 2' is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the same taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modied form of the bathtub.

Referring4 more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I 0 designates generally one form of the bathtub constructed in accordance with the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. The bathtub I0 may be of conventional exterior shape and design and including a front wall II, back wall I2 and end walls I3 and I4. The bathtub I0 may be of the built in type or in any case is adapted to be disposed `with its rear wall I2 disposed against a perpendicular wall, indicated at I 5, andl to which is suitably secured in any manner a panel IE, asiseen in Figure 1. The panel I6 is disposed above and adjacent the upper edge of the rear wall I2 and is provided with an elon gated hand rail I1 which is adapted to be grasped by the user of the tub while getting into or out `of the tub I0.

The tub Il) is provided with a novel construction of bottom, designated generally I8, and which is adapted to'rest upon a suitable supporting surface I9.` The bottom I8 is provided with raised end portions, designated generally 20 and 2|. The raised portion 2U includes an upper, substantially horizontal seat portion 22 which is disposed below the level of the upper edges of the sides and ends of the tub, and a perpendicular front wall portion 23 which extends from the inner end of the seat portion 22 downwardly and which is disposed substantially parallel to the end walls I3 and I4. The lower portion of the end wall I3 combines with the seat portion 22 and the Wall portion 23 to form a. chamber 24, the bottom of which is closed by the .surfaceV I9 on which the tub I0 rests. End wall I3 is provided with an opening 25 which communicates with the chamber 24 and which is adapted to be normally closed by a removable door or panel 26.

The raised portion 2I includes an elongated seat portion 21 which extends from the end wall I4 to a point substantially intermediate of the ends of the tub I0 and which terminates in a downwardly extending perpendicular Wall 28 which is disposed substantially parallel to the wall 23 and spaced therefrom. The seat portion 21 is disposed substantially below the level of the seat portion 22 and said seat portion 22 is adapted to be disposed at a height substantially equal to the height of a conventional chair seat. The seat portion 21, wall portion 28 and a part of the end wall I4 combine to form a chamber 29, the open bottom of which is closed by a portion of the supporting surface I 9. The wall I4 is also provided with an opening 3E) which communicates with the chamber 29 and which is adapted to be closed by a panel or closure 3|. As best seen in Figure 2, the seat portion 21 is substantially longer, longitudinally of the tub Ill, than the seat portion 22, and said seat portions are preferably corrugated or ribbed longitudinally on their upper sides as seen at 32.

Between the wall portions 23 and 28 is aibottom portion 33 which rests upon the surface I9 and which is disposed substantially below the levels of either the seat portion 22 or 21, and which combines with the wall portions 23 and 28 to form a channel or trough portion 35. The bottom portion 33 is providednwith a drain. outlet 35. Water supply pipes 3 6 eXtend upwardly through the surface IS and intoy the chamber 24 and are provided with bib or "faucetl portions 31 which extend into openings 33 in the wall portion 23. The pipes 35 are adapted to be connected in a conventional manner to -a water main or other suitable source of water supply and the bibs 31 vare arranged to discharge into the channel or trough 34 below the level of the seat 21 so that the trough can be lled with water without wetting the seats. I

VThe chambers 24 and 29 each contains :a conventional electric heating unit of any suitable construction which units are designated 32 and tt, respectively.

The panel Iii contains three operating knobs el, two of which control the two supply pipes 32 in a conventional manner, and the other of which is adapted to control a valve, not shown, of the drain opening 35 in va conventional manner.y The panel i6 also contains two smaller switch operating knobs 42 which are adapted to be of any suitable conventional construction and connected in any suitable manner with the circuit of the heating elements 39 and di! for `selectively controlling said heating elements. From the foregoing it will be obvious that a user could conveniently sit on the kseat 22 while bathing the feet in the trough 341 or while resting the feet on the seat portion 21 for applying medicine to or otherwise treating the feet. Likewise, while sitting on the seat 21 a sponge bath can be taken with water from the trough 34 'or the Vtub Yif) lcould be lled sufficiently to submerge the s'eat 21 for bathing in an ordinary way. Also, a mother could conveniently sit on the V,seat l22 and Ybathe an infant on the seat 21.

The tub Hl is obviously adapted to be disposed beneath a conventional shower unit, in aconventional manner, and either of the seat portions 22er 21 may be used in conjunction with' the shower unit to permit a shower to be taken while sitting in an upright position.

In any of the aforementioned or the many other uses to which the tub l0 adapts itself, the heating units 39 and 4i! can be energized for heating the seats 22 and 21 so that the bather will be comfortably warm while bathing and the heat fromv the heating units will of course act to maintain the temperature of the water in the tub and to warm the water. y

In the modied form of the tub, designated generally l, and which is illustrated in Figure 4, the front wall il thereof is recessed in its upper edge as seen at G3, contiguous with the seat 21. The recessed portion 43 is provided with a longitudinal rim portion lil which is disposed somewhat above themlevel of the seat 21. All other' parts of the tub I correspond to the tub I0. and will therefore not be described.

It will be readily apparent that a convalescent or expectant mother could readily get into or out of the tub i9' lwithout placing the weight of the body on the feet, while in the tub. This 'could be accomplished by sitting on lthe seat 21, from a standing position outside of the tub I, and then swinging the legs over the rim portion 44 and into the tub. By reversing this procedure it will be readily apparent that the bather can get out of the tub without standing on any part thereof thus eliminating any danger of slipping while getting into or out of the bathtub.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously 'be resorted to, providedrthey fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by the appended claims, as only preferred constructions of the bathtub have been disclosed.

I claim as my invention: i 1. A bath tub having a bottom provided wit raised end portions, said raised end portions forming seats of different elevations, within the depression of the tub, and theintermediate por tion of the tub bottom combining with said seat portions to form a trough orl channelportion,

disposed transversely of the tub.

2. Atub as in claim l, comprising a faucet associated with the tub and arranged to discharge into said trough or channel portion.

V3. A tub as in claim l, said seat portions forming 'chambers in the tub, and heating elements disposed in said chambers and adap-ted to be energized vfor heating said seat portions.

4. Al tub as in claim l, the lower of said seat portions being substantially longer than the other seat portion, and said tub being provided with a cutout portion in the upper part of one side wall thereof and which is disposed above and 'contiguous with said lower seat portion.

ALBERT E. THOMPSON. 

